Friday, July 16, 2010

New Testament in a Year - July 17

July 17~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King James and other versions... [http://bibleabc.net/bible/kjv/act16-1.htm]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~================================================================================

Timothy Goes with Paul and Silas161Paul went to the cities of Derbe and Lystra. A follower [of Christ] named Timothywas there. Timothy's mother was a Jewish believer. His father was a Greek (not a Jew). 2The believers in the cities of Lystra and Iconium respected Timothy. Theysaid good things about him. 3Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him. But all the Jews living in that area knew that Timothy's father was Greek (not Jewish). So Paul circumcised* Timothy to please the Jews. 4Then Paul and the men with him traveledthrough other cities.* They gave the believers the rules and decisions from the apostles* and elders* in Jerusalem. They told the believers to obey these rules. 5So the churches (groups of believers) were becoming stronger in the faith and were growing bigger every day.Paul Is Called out of Asia6Paul and the men with him went through the countries of Phrygia and Galatia. TheHoly Spirit* did not allow them to tell the Good News* in the country of Asia.* 7Paul and Timothy went near the country of Mysia. They wanted to go into the countryof Bithynia. But the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go in. 8So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas. 9That night Paul saw a vision.* In this vision,a man from the country of Macedonia came to Paul. The man stood there and begged,"Come across to Macedonia. Help us!" 10After Paul had seen the vision, we immediatelyprepared to leave for Macedonia. We understood that God had called us to tell theGood News* to those people.The Conversion of Lydia11We left Troas in a ship, and we sailed to the island of Samothrace. The next daywe sailed to the city of Neapolis. 12Then we went to Philippi. Philippi is an importantcity in that part of Macedonia. It is a city for Romans. We stayed in that city for a few days. 13On the Sabbath day* we went out the city gate to the river. At the river we thought we might find a special place for prayer. Some women had gatheredthere. So we sat down and talked with them. 14There was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. Her job was selling purple cloth. She worshiped the true God. Lydia listened to Paul. The Lord opened her heart. She believed the things Paul said. 15She and all the people living in her home were baptized.* Then Lydiainvited us into her home. She said, "If you think I am truly a believer in the LordJesus, then come stay in my house." She persuaded us to stay with her.